Here We Go Again: North Carolina Senate Approves Anti-Choice SB 353

Cool company you keep. Governor McCrory, when he was merely the mayor of Charlotte, is second from the left.

Yesterday was my day off, and I spent it having irresponsible, out-of-wedlock sex and having birth control/abortion pills forced down my throat by Obamacare. How did you spend your Thursday?Â If you’re the North Carolina Senate, you voted 32-13 to approve a sweeping abortion bill, Senate Bill 353.Â The News ObserverÂ explains that SB 353 “would impose stricter regulations on abortion clinics, require more contact between abortion clinic doctors and patients, and limit insurance coverage for the procedure.” Here we go again.

Now, SB 353 is on its way to Republican Governor Pat McCrory, who, asÂ The News ObserverÂ points out, campaigned on the promise that he would not sign any bill into law that would add new restrictions to abortions.Â The Senate bill wouldÂ certainlyÂ impose more restrictions and limit access to abortion, but I guess that’s splitting hairs.

[SB 353] would eliminate insurance coverage for abortions for city and county employees, and from the stateâ€™s federal health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

It would also require state health officials to come up with rules â€“ which would be approved by a commission of political appointees â€“ to regulate abortion clinics more strictly than they are now. Clinics would be required to meet standards applicable to those of outpatient surgery centers.

So, will McCrory stick to his promise and veto SB 353? Well, it seems like he didn’t actually read SB 353. CNN quotes him saying:

“The recent House version allows the medical professionals at the Department of Health and Human Services to write the rules which will ensure women’s safety. I want to thank those who worked on an improved bill which will better protect women while not further limiting access.”

Supporters of SB 353 are calling the new restrictions logical standards to implement in order to keep abortions safe. Opponents point out that abortions are already safe procedures, and the bill is “opposed by state and national medical groups.”

Oh come on. Women aren’t stupid. We know that this isn’t about safety and this isn’t about regulation. Democratic Senator Angela Bryant of Rocky Mount said it best:

It is important to us that you know we are not buying this disguise. Your agenda is clear â€“ there is nothing in this bill that helps protect the rights of womenâ€™s health care.

Raise your hand if you’re getting tired of Republicans trying to pull the wool over our eyes. This shit is getting really old.